Trait and Factor Theory

Theories of career choice have come about through attempts to understand the decision-making process humans go through in an effort to choose a career. In the early part of the 20th century, a growing concern for the plight of American workers led Frank Parsons and others to focus on various methods of help, including “reforms in business, education, and other social institutions to prevent further exploitation of workers and to help workers choose jobs that matched their abilities and interests”(Brown, 1990a, p. 13).

Parsons put forth a three-step schema forming the basis of the “first conceptual framework for career decision making” (Brown, 1990a, p. 13) and the foundation of the vocational guidance movement (Srebalus et al., 1982; Super, 1983). This three-part model advocated personality analysis, i.e., whereby individuals gain understanding of both strengths and weaknesses of their personal attributes or traits; job analysis, i.e., given these traits, their conditions for success in occupations; and matching through scientific advising, i.e., make career choices based on the aforementioned information to provide the basis for career decision-making (Brown, 1990a; Herr & Cramer, 1988; McDaniels & Gysbers, 1992). Super (1983) concluded that Parsons’ “theory of individual differences in aptitudes and traits which underlies the method of determining occupational ability patterns has been the cornerstone of vocational guidance” (p. 168).

Parsons’ formulations are often referred to as the basis of trait and factor theory (Brown, 1990a; Brown & Brooks, 1990b). Klein and Weiner (1977) concluded the underlying assumptions and propositions of trait and factor theory are:

1. Each individual has a unique set of traits that can be measured reliably and validly.

2. Occupations require that workers possess certain very special traits for success, although a worker with a rather wide range of characteristics can still be successful in a job.

3. The choice of an occupation is a rather straightforward process, and matching is possible.

4. The closer the match between personal characteristics and job requirements, the greater the likelihood of success (productivity and satisfaction).